diff --git a/Source/String.m b/Source/String.m
index d7c3e25a5..6f580ffe2 100644
--- a/Source/String.m
+++ b/Source/String.m
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@
 {
   if (strcmp(contentEncoding, @encode(char)))
     [self error:"invalid args to String initializer"];
-  [self init];
+  [self initWithCString:NULL range:((IndexRange){0,0})];
   return self;
 }